ABOUT US

Welcome to the official website of the Hilal Committee
of Metropolitan Toronto & Vicinity.

The Hilal Committee of Metropolitan Toronto & Vicinity
was established in the early 1970's by the most senior and renowned scholar
of Toronto namely Sh. Khalil Sufi. Till today Sh. Khalil Sufi stands as the
chair of the Hilal Committee of Metropolitan Toronto & Vicinity along with
other many local scholars.

The Hilal Committee was established because of the
extensive confusion amongst the Muslim community in regards to the beginning
of Islamic months and Islamic holidays – namely Ramadan and the two Eids –
which directly stems from misunderstandings about the moon sighting
procedure as explained in the Holy Quran and Sunnah.

As the years past, different Imams, scholars and
representatives from the various mosques (masajid) through out Canada have
joined and continue to join the Hilal Committee to determine the Islamic calendar through the
actual local sighting of the moon as instructed in accordance to the Quran
and Sunnah.

The Hilal Committee has appointed personnel throughout
Canada, United States of America and the Caribbean to assist in gathering information and
present confirmation of the actual sighting of the Moon with the naked eye in North America
& countries in South America that are on the time zone of Toronto: EST.

The Hilal Committee also uses astronomical data to assist
in making its decisions, however all decisions are based on the
actual sighting of the moon in North America & the Caribbean with the naked eye. Evidence
for the probability of a moon sighting occurring according to calculations
is reviewed, although it is not the sole reason for determining a new month.
Islamic law has made clear the necessity of an actual visual, unaided
sighting of the moon. However, there are no restrictions to use calculations
in determining the probability of a moon sighting.